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Satisfactory Academic Progress

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Glen Oaks Community College

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (SAP) POLICY

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the term used to denote a student's successful completion of coursework toward a certificate or degree. Federal regulations require the Financial Aid Office to monitor the progress of each student toward certificate/degree completion. Students who fail to achieve minimum standards for grade point average and completion of classes, may lose their eligibility for all types of federal and state aid, and institutional aid administered by the Financial Aid Office.

SAP Requirements

To be eligible for financial aid, students must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward the completion of their eligible certificate or associate degree program. The following standards apply to all students receiving assistance from any financial aid program requiring a determination of Satisfactory Academic Progress as criteria for eligibility. Private funded programs may require different progress standards. Refer to appropriate program guidelines or consult with Financial Aid Office staff. The Financial Aid Office will monitor your academic progress at the end of each semester.

All prior course work must be reviewed. This includes all classes attempted at GOCC and all transfer credits.

Note: This also includes course work attempted when no financial aid was received. To maintain eligibility for financial aid, there are three distinct criteria that are monitored and must be met.

Quantitative Standard: Students must pass a minimum of 67% of all attempted credits at GOCC (including transfer credits). The chart below is an example of how the credit hours attempted each semester are measured to determine completion rate (Pace of Progression: attempted credits x 67% = required credits to complete each semester).

The following chart shows how many credits need to be completed, based on attempted credit hours to keep pace towards the completion of your degree.

Total Attempted Credit Hours*

Completed Credit Hours required to keep pace

Total Attempted Credit Hours*

Completed Credit Hours required to keep pace

3

2

26

17

4

3

27

18

5

3

28

19

6

4

29

19

7

5

30

20

8

5

31

21

9

6

32

21

10

7

33

22

11

7

34

23

12

8

35

23

13

9

36

24

14

9

37

25

15

10

38

25

16

11

39

26

17

11

40

27

18

12

41

27

19

13

42

28

20

13

43

29

21

14

44

29

22

15

45

30

23

15

46

31

24

16

47

31

25

17

48

32

Total Attempted Credit Hours*

Completed Credit Hours required to keep pace

Total Attempted Credit Hours*

Completed Credit Hours required to keep pace

49

33

72

48

50

34

73

49

51

34

74

50

52

35

75

50

53

36

76

51

54

36

77

52

55

37

78

52

56

38

79

53

57

38

80

54

58

39

81

54

59

40

82

55

60

40

83

56

61

41

84

56

62

42

85

57

63

42

86

58

64

43

87

58

65

44

88

59

66

44

89

60

67

45

90

60

68

46

91

61

69

46

92

62

70

47

93

62

71

48

* Overall attempted credit hours at GOCC as well as transfer credits (even if no financial aid was received)

Qualitative Standard: Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA).

Maximum Time Frame Standard: The number of attempted credits in which a student is expected to finish a program cannot exceed 150% of the published length of the program, which is 93 credits for an associate degree or 47 credits for certificate programs. Total credit hour limits apply whether or not the student has actually received financial aid for the entire time at GOCC. Transfer credits from previous schools count toward credit hour limits. Students exceeding these credit hour maximums will not be eligible for additional semesters of financial aid. This maximum time-frame standard is intended to be long enough to allow for changes in a major, loss of credit due to transfer, withdrawn coursework, etc.

Students must be enrolled in an eligible academic degree or certificate program.

Attempted credit hours include all courses for which a student is registered at the end of the posted semester drop/add period.

The following grades are used to calculate the cumulative GPA: 4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.5, 2.0, 1.5, 1.0, 0.0, CR, and NC.

The following grades do not affect the cumulative GPA, but will be counted as attempted credit hours in the maximum time frame calculation: W - withdrawal, I – incomplete.

Remedial and Repeat courses are eligible for financial aid as long as the courses are required by the student’s academic program plan, or are approved by an academic counselor and do not exceed the maximum number of credits allowed, and the student is otherwise maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress, including the maximum time-frame measure standard.

Repeating a course - A student may only repeat a previously passed course once and receive financial aid. Student may repeat a failed course until it is passed. Repeated credits count as attempted and toward maximum time frame.

Remedial coursework – may be excluded based on submitting an appeal form.

Students wishing to change their academic program may be allowed additional credits to complete a new academic program upon appeal by the student. Credits attempted and grades earned that do not count toward the new program may not be counted towards the maximum time-frame. Changing of an academic program more than once may not be considered as the basis for an appeal.

Only courses applicable to the student’s academic program are considered to be financial aid eligible.

Financial aid applicants who have completed an Associate Degree or Certificate from GOCC will not be considered for additional semesters of financial aid unless they complete an appeal form.

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (SAP) DEFINITIONS

Federal regulations require institutions to monitor the academic progress of financial aid recipients. Glen Oaks policy is to provide financial aid to students capable of remaining in good academic standing and who make adequate progress toward a degree. SAP policy terms to know are defined below.

SAP

Standards of Academic Progress (SAP) are federally regulated requirements which specify the minimum cumulative GPA and completion rate a student must maintain to qualify for federal financial aid funds. At the end of each semester students will be reviewed to ensure that they are maintaining eligibility to receive financial aid.

SAP Warning Status

A student that is not meeting SAP requirements will be given a warning status code to allow them one semester to regain eligibility by meeting the minimum cumulative GPA and completion rate requirements listed under the SAP policy. Students are only given warning status after having been in an SAP eligible status.

SAP Denial Status

Students that are unable to meet and maintain the minimum overall SAP standards are ineligible for financial aid. This status also applies to students unable to meet the terms of their SAP Probation or Course Completion Plan status.

SAP Probation Status

Students that were placed on a SAP warning status that were unable to meet the minimum requirements will be given the option of appealing to the SAP Appeals Committee to request an exception to receive financial aid for one additional semester. While on probation a student must meet the following requirements to maintain financial aid eligibility. This status only applies after an appeal is approved by committee.

Earn a 2.0 semester GPA or a 2.0 cumulative GPA

Complete all enrolled credits (will include only credits enrolled in at the end of the 100% drop/add period each semester).

Course Completion Plan Status

Students unable to regain and meet overall SAP standards after having been in Warning and Probation status may be placed in a Course Completion Plan status. Course Completion Plan is intended to support and encourage students to successfully progress toward earning their degree, and student must meet the following requirements to maintain financial aid eligibility. This status only applies after an appeal is approved by committee.

Earn a 2.0 semester GPA or a 2.0 cumulative GPA

Complete all enrolled credits (will include only credits enrolled in at the end of the 100% drop/add period each semester).

Based upon the discretion of the SAP Appeals Committee, students who have had continuous struggles with regaining and maintaining the minimum overall SAP standards may have an individualized course Completion Plan created which outlines additional requirements that must also be met. Individual Academic Plans will be documented and agreed upon by the student and a financial aid administrator. Students placed in a Course Completion Plan status will be reviewed each semester to ensure they are meeting the requirements of their Course Completion Plan. If a student is unable to meet the minimum requirements of their Course Completion Plan they will be ineligible for Financial Aid.

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (SAP) APPEAL PROCESS

Warning Status

Students who fail to meet the SAP eligibility requirements will be placed on SAP financial aid warning for one semester. Students are only given a warning status after having been in a SAP eligible status.

When on warning, students may be eligible for grants, scholarships, and loan funds. After the warning semester, the student’s progress is again measured. If the student meets cumulative minimum SAP requirements after the warning semester they will be in SAP satisfactory status.

If a student is unable to regain eligibility by meeting the minimum SAP requirements after one semester (while on warning status) they have the option of completing the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form. All appeal forms should be turned in to the financial aid office in a timely fashion to allow the committee time to review their request prior to the end of the drop/add period of the semester which the appeal is being requested. The Appeal form is available in the financial aid office and will require a student to provide a Course Completion Plan as part of their appeal.

Probation Status

If an appeal is approved student will be placed on SAP financial aid probation for one semester and will be required to earn a 2.0 semester GPA or a 2.0 cumulative GPA and complete all enrolled credits (will include only credits enrolled in at the end of the 100% drop/add period each semester). At the end of the semester students will be reviewed to determine eligibility for the following semester.

Course Completion Plan Status

If students are unable to regain overall eligibility within one semester probationary period, but were able to meet the requirements of their SAP probation status they will automatically be placed in an Course Completion status and their eligibility will be reviewed at the end of each semester to ensure that they are meeting the requirements of their course completion. While in a course completion status students will be required to earn a 2.0 semester GPA and complete all enrolled credits (will include only credits enrolled in at the end of the 100% drop/add period each semester). At the end of each semester students will be reviewed to determine eligibility for the following semester.

Denial Status

Students who fail to meet the minimum SAP requirements while on SAP warning or SAP Probation are placed on denial status and are ineligible to receive any financial aid funds. Students may continue attendance at Glen Oaks Community College, provided they pay for all charges at the time of registration. A student may appeal financial aid denial, in writing, to the SAP Appeals Committee. Appeals may be granted if the student’s failure to make progress is shown to have been effected by illness or other extenuating circumstances.

Students who reach the 150 % maximum limit of attempted credits for their program of study will have their aid eligibility denied.

Re-establish Financial Aid Eligibility

To regain eligibility, a student on SAP Denial must do ALL the following:

meet the minimum cumulative GPA requirement of 2.0; and

meet the minimum cumulative completions rate requirement of 67%; and

make a request, in writing, for a re-evaluation of his or her SAP status.

Warning or Denial Appeal Process

Contact the financial aid office if you have been notified that you have been placed on SAP Warning, or SAP Denial, and special circumstances exist. With proper documentation of circumstances (i.e., doctor’s notice, letter from academic advisor, etc.), you may appeal the SAP Warning or Denial by completing a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form. This form is available from the financial aid office. Also contact your academic advisor to help you develop a Course Completion Plan for achieving good academic standing.

If an appeal is denied students may regain financial aid eligibility by taking courses and achieving the minimum SAP requirements at their own expense.

Withdrawal

Any student who fails to complete minimum SAP requirements because of withdrawal from classes will be placed on SAP Warning or if on Warning or Probation will be placed on SAP Denial.